Rabbitohs toil without Hollywood Russell: new chief

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

SYDNEY (AFP) — Russell Crowe's Hollywood film commitments may have impacted on his struggling rugby league outfit the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the club's new chief executive admitted on Tuesday.

Shane Richardson, who succeeded Peter Holmes a Court, denied speculation that the Oscar-winning Crowe had forced his co-owner to step down from the role.

But he suggested Crowe's long periods away filming had harmed his relationship with Holmes a Court, and the millionaire businessman felt he had "carried the flag" in his partner's absence.

"I think that the situation has been that Russell has been away for a long period of time," Richardson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"He has had back-to-back films over the last 12 to 15 months."

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